Tiki Taane - Still funkin.

If you were forced to choose one person that embodied New Zealand dub, drum n bass, dubstep, electronica and roots music it would be fairly safe to say that you would think of Tiki Taane.

After burning up stages all over the country and the world as the front man for Salmonella Dub for 11 years he has gone on to work on himself as a solo artist and a person.

His latest album Past, Present, Future saw his journey into finding himself and a major component was getting back to his Maori roots.

“The kaupapa Maori world has totally energised me and made things a lot more clearer. I have embraced it wholeheartedly and I’m enjoying it.”

Primary collaborators included family members, most significantly his father who provides vocals on two of the tracks and performing with him on tour.

Behind the scenes they provide the framework also. His sister Ninakaye manages the business and other sister Maureen controls all merchandising.

He describes a trip to Rarotonga as being life-changing after visiting the beach where his ancestors left on the Tainui waka. Recognising the struggle that they had, he realised some of the battles he needed to fight within himself.

This change was manifested physically first when he shed his trademark dreadlocks and then saw some lifestyle changes including leaving the band that had given him so much.

By recognising he could not be fulfilled in what he wanted to express they parted ways to endeavour on in their musical journeys.

All of this talk of reflection could fool some into thinking that he couldn’t stay relevant as he has for so many years.

As a musician, audio engineer, producer and composer, this man is anything but complacent and this is clearly demonstrated through the new material provided.

Ranging the spectrum from peeled back acoustic love-songs to heavy electronic soundscapes he manages to stay challenging and cutting-edge.

“I’m hot now but in a years time there will be someone else that is hotter, my stuffs old so you always have to stay ahead of the game.”